Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1887-04-29
CAPE COD TURKEYS"
Some Interesting Facts About
the Herring Fishery.
Dividing the Herring Catch in Places
Where the Fish Abounds

Whore the Fish AbOunds.
Early in April the herrings begin TO
swim up the streams which have their
source in the fresh water ponds to
spawn. When they begin to "run," ]. e.,
arc numerous, the weir is opened. A
"herring committee has previously
been appointed at the town meeting, and
the right to the weir has been sold TO
the highest bidder, at auction, at the
same time. The ono who has bought
the weir has the exclusive right to fish
there and sell horriugs The town in
which the weir is situated holds the
herrings caught, unless it was originally
part Of another town, in which case it
is usually provided that the amount
which the weir brought at auction shall
be divided equally between the towns.
If this is so, citizen Of the older town
has citizens right to barrel at the
fixed rate An ordinary weir sells for
about $500 or 5000. Some few herrings
arc caught and sold before the weir is
opened. These are caught 10y seining in
the lower bays, and is contrary to
law" But these first herrings bring
large prices. For the honor of eating
the first herring caught some will pay
high prices, occasionally as much as S.
each for the first one.
"If Pm pauper can have my bar
rel of herrings anyhow" isa expression.
On the opening of the weir the pilgrim
age commences, and some arrive as early
as 3 An The first to arrive and sig
his name or mark has the first barrel;
except in case it is a widow or her rep
resentative, each succeeding one takes
his barrel in turn. But widow has
precedence over all, and each widow
''has barrel from the town" Each one
has a right to a barrel, for which she
pays price fixed by the town-usually
from sixty cents to seventy cents this
year sixty-four cents. Fresh herrings.
when they first begin TO run" bring
forty cents dozen when retailed through
the villages. Those who have a barrel
usually salt them down, and after being
salted dozen are put on a stick, the
stick being thrust through the eyes of
the fish, and hung on the barn or side OF
the house. This is familiar sight in
villages near herring streams. They re-
man hung on the side Of the buildings.
taleep-afs the stick as wanted ! aaIsz,
some remain till the next spring, wnch
fresh herrings have come again, and the
weir is again open. A man just married,
who has secured his barrel Of herrings,
is considered we'll started on the path of
life. They sell, when salted, for 81. 25
for 100 herrngs. A barrel is supposed
TO hold 400 fish. They are a very bony
fish, and the most approved way to eat
them is to eat bones and all, it being
next to impossible to remove the fiuer
bones. From 259 to 300 barrels is con-
sidered a good catch at the weir.
Sometimes they continue catching ii |
midnight. Every Other day and Sun
days the hcrrings are permitted torun un-
molested, sluiceway being made for
III IN to run aroun the falls, so that
they can reach the fresh ponds to spawn.
The weir is usually at a mill or fail, or
just below, where the river is narrow, and
the fresh stream reaches the salt water.
On good running days" the fish are so
thick that it is only necessary to dip
them out; sometimes they crowd each
other over on to the shore. The box is
filled and III Y are put in barrels and
claimed, all except widows paying at the
weir. The widow has permit from the
town clerk, and the people at the weir
charge the town for each widows bar
rel. They are counted into the barrel.
The local name for them IS "Capc Co
Turkeys"
The first run of the h9rrngs at the
weir is small in comparison to the later
ones. They at first are sold by the
dozen, equally divided between the
number of applicants. Herring ped
dlers"take them and pcddle them through
the ad joining towns, the citizens Of which
have no citizens right to barrel at the
| price fixed by the town. During May
the herring have their heaviest "run.
Thousands of barrels are sold to the
other towns. The run lasts until June
usually. After certain date in June
the weir is no longer private property,
but by that time the barns are covered
with the sated or "slit herrings.n The
right to barrel is US ID as legal tender,
and man will say, 'Pll give you my
barrel of herri gs for" so-and-so. A
family which did not get its barrel
would be considered "que r." Some
make it custom to salt herrings. Taking
a barrel for a widow, they salt and
stick the 400 fish, and return 200 to
the widow that being considered a
good supply for on2 Some families
consume four or five barrels from one
''catch"hll the next springs catch. The
fi-h supply the place of meat to many
families through the winter. Harper 5
Weekly.
The Dried Currents Industry.
/ Gone wnnld hard lr, thinl. thnt u Gin